Tom thobnycroft



T. THORNYCROFT.

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-9,19%.

Patented N 0v. 4, 1919.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRMH an WASHINGTON. n. C

-. launching cylinder TOM THORNYCBOFT, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

Application filed December 9, 1918. Serial No. 265,917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Ton THORNYGROFT, asubject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing atWestminster, England, have invented Improvements in Means for LaunchingTorpedoes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention has reference to means for launching torpedoes by theexpansion of gases produced by the combustion of a suitable propellantor explosive in a separate chamber to the gun barrel. In means for thispurpose as heretofore proposed, the breech end of a torpedo launchingcylinder has in some cases been adapted to form a combustion chamber andin others the combustion chamber has been made as a separate structurefrom the gun barrel itself and provided with a socket for the receptionof the charge of propellant or explosive, but none of such arrangementshave been adapted to admit of the production of high pressure gases ofseveral times the pressure of the gas to be utilized in the torpedoitself and which shall also be comparatively high, say of the order offrom one-quarter to one-half of a ton to the square inch.

In a separate explosion chamber of considerable volume, propellants,such as cordite, cannot be relied upon to burn uniformly and completelyunless special pro vision is made to burn them in a chamber or container(hereinafter called a charge container) at pressures considerably inexcess of the pressure required in a separate gas receiver into whichthe gases pass and whence they pass to the torpedo launching cylinder.The mode of loading the charge container with the explosive orpropellant (hereinafter referred to as cordite) to insure proper andcomplete combustion thereof, is of importance, but the exact arrangementof the holes or passages in the wall of the charge container throughwhich the resultant gases of combustion pass to the gas receiver is ofgreat importance in order that the combustion of the cordite shall takeplace under the best conditions. For example, if the holes or passagesare placed only at the end of the charge container away from the pointof first ignition, the flame resulting from the first ignition of thecordite will have to pass through all the rest of the charge before theresultant gases can find their way out through the holes and,consequently, much more rapid combustion of the charge will take placethan is desirable, resulting in considerable shock.

'Now the present invention has for its object, inter alia, to provide acharge container whereina charge of'cordite can be burnt under very highpressure, say of the order of several tons to the square inch, and theresultant gases can be admitted to a gas receiver wherein the gas willbe maintained at a lower but still high pressure, say of the order ofabout two tons to the square inch and from which they can be deliveredto the torpedo launching cylinder at a still lower but comparativelyhigh pressure, say of the order of from about one quarter of a ton toone half of a ton to the square inch. It also has for its object toadmit of a charge of cordite being burnt in a comparatively slow mannerso as to avoid excessive shock.

To admit of a charge of cordite being burnt at a high pressure for thepurpose set forth, the charge container is made of comparatively smallinternal capacity to suit the charge of cordite to be burnt and it isprovided with a gas outlet that will admit of the gases "of combustionpassing from the ignition end of the container to the gas receiver andwhich is made of comparatively small cross sectional area and such as toenable the desired pressure to be set up in the charge container. Toadmit of the charge of cordite being burnt under high pressure as setforth and in a comparatively slow manner, the charge container isprovided with a gas outletconsisting preferably of a number of smallholes or passages through which the resultant gases pass to the gasreceiver on their way to the torpedo launching cylinder, such holes orpassages being arranged in such a manner that when the cordite begins toburn, the gases will first pass out from the container through holes orpassages that are near to the point where the charge is first ignitedandthen through succeeding holes. For this purpose the holes may bearranged at intervals along the length of the charge container from theforward end thereof near to the point of ignition of the cordite charge.

The cordite container may conveniently be in the form of a cylinderprojecting into the gas receiver, or part thereof, and be formed with anumber of small gas exit apertures arranged along its length and ofsmall collective cross sectional area as set forth; Satisfactoryresults, for the purpose of launching a torpedo as hereinafterdescribed, can be obtained by providing such a container, adapted tocarry a charge of about three and a half pounds of cordite, with aboutfifty-six apertures each of about one-quarter of an inch in diameter,the total cross sectional area being thus about two and three quartersquare inches. The cordite may be placed loose in the container, or itmay be made up as a cartridge that is inserted in the container. In eachcase, the cordite container is not of much larger internal capacity thanthe volume of the cordite charge to be employed, and is made of suf--ficient thickness and strength to withstand the high ressure set uptherein by the burning o the cordite charge. The resulting gases underpressure pass into and are collected in the gas receiver whence theypass through a restricted outlet, which may be constituted by theperforations of a plate or bafliing device of known kind, or by a pipeor passage of small bore, or by equivalent pressure reducing means, tothe breech end of the torpedo launching cylinder and be therein utilizedto operate a ram or piston for launching a torpedo.

By the means described, a charge of cordite can be burnt in a moredefinite and complete manner and slower than has heretofore beenpracticable, to. produce gases under very high pressure with littleshock, and such gases can be utilized at a much lower pressure in atorpedo launching cylinder for launching a torpedo with a comparativelylow but still high and steady pressure and with greater accuracy thanhas previously been found practicable with torpedo launching cylindersas heretofore operated by gases under pressure.

The torpedo launching cylinder is fitted with a ram or piston the outerend of which, beyond the outer free end of the cylinder, is adapted tofit against the nose or stern of a torpedo, the cylinder being adaptedto cushion the ram orpiston when it is near the outer end of its stroke.The internal diameter of the cylinder is much smaller than that of thetorpedo to be launched so that the pressure of the gases admitted to thecylinder is well maintained during the launching of a torpedo.

The combined cordite container and gas receiver can be variouslyconstructed and arranged in relation to each other and to the torpedolaunching cylinder.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, arecentral vertical sections, showing, diagrammatically, variousconstructions and arrangements of torpedo launching apparatus accordingto the present invention.

In these examples, a is the gas receiver provided with or having inconnection therewith, a charge container 6 constructed as hereinbeforedescribed for the purpose set forth and adapted to hold a charge ofcordite, or an ordinary cordite cartridge, 0 is the torpedo launchingcylinder into one end of which the gases under pressure produced by thecombustion of the cordite charge or cartridge flow from the gas receivera through a perforated baffling device (Z, or equivalent pressurereducing device, whereby their pressure is reduced to the desired degreebefore entering the torpedo launching cylinder.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, the gas receiver a is of spherical shapeand is con nected to one end of the torpedo launching cylinder 0,conveniently by screwing it to a junction piece 0 that has .a hole 0 ofsmall cross sectional area extending therethrough and is screwed intothe said cylin- I der. The charge container 6 is in the form of aperforated cylinder screwed into one side of the gas receiver a andadapted to receive a charge of cordite, the total cross sectional areaof the holes in such cylinder being comparatively small as and for thepurpose hereinbefore set forth. e is a firing device of any known orsuitable kind, percussive or electric, carried by the charge container 6and adapted to ignite the charge and capable of being operated directlyby hand, or from a distance, as through a lanyard or electricconductors. In the example now being described, the charge container 6is provided with a shoulder at b to hold a percussion cap or detonatorfor igniting the charge in the container 7). The baffling device (Z isin the form of a perforated thimble screwed into the gas receiver a andin communication with the bore of the torpedo launching cylinder 0through the hole 0 in the junction piece 0 According to theconstructions shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the gas receiver a with chargecontainer 1) and bafiiing" device 03 is arranged separately from thetorpedo launching cylinder 0. Insuch cases the gas receiver a withassociated parts may be arranged in proximity to and be carried bysuitable supports 64 independently of the torpedo launching cylinder 0and be connected to the inlet end of such cylinder by a straight pipe hand the perforated junction piece 0 as shown in Fig. 2. Or it may, asshown in Fig. 3, be carried sidewise of the said cylinder 0, as forinstance below the cylinder as shown, as by supports a on such cylinder,and be connected by a bent pipe h and the perforated junction piece 0 tothe inlet end of the cylinder.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 3 but whereinthe gas receiver is made in two parts a and a connected by the pipe hthe part a carrying the charge container 6, and the part a beingconnected direct to one end of the torpedo launching cylinder 0 throughthe junction piece 0 m is a piston fitting the torpedo launchingcylinder0, and a is its rod, which protrudes beyond the fore end of the cylinderand is adapted to act against a torpedo for launching it. For thispurpose the outer end of the rod a is provided with a bell head 0adapted to fit over and against the head of a torpedo 19 (Fig. 1) forthe purpose of launching the torpedo stern first. The head 0 is made ofsufficient dimensions to avoid any possibility of its acting against thefiring pistol or equivalent carried by the head or nose of the torpedo.Or the head 0 may be adapted to act against the stern of a torpedo whenit is desired to launch the torpedo head first. As will be seen, theinternal diameter of the torpedo launching cylinder 0 is much less thanthe diameter of p the torpedo p to be launched as and for the purposehereinbefore mentioned. When the piston m, under the action of the gasesunder pressure admitted to the rear end of the cylinder 0 has traversednearly the entire length of the cylinder, the gases are permitted toescape laterally through holes at r in the cylinder and the piston isbrought to rest by cushioning on the air trapped in the closed endportion of the cylinder beyond these holes.

The operation of the torpedo launching apparatus is as follows:-

A cordite charge or cartridge is placed in the charge container 5 andthe firing gear a fixed in place. When it is desired to discharge thetorpedo, the firing gear is operated in the usual way by means of alanyard or other device and the cordite charge or cartridge is thenignited. As the exit of the resulting combustion gases from the chargecontainer 1) is restricted, as hereinbefore described, the cordite burnscompletely under high pressure and with little shock. The resultinggases are collected in the gas receiver a and thence pass through thehole or holes of the perforated baffiing device d and also, it may bethrough the pipe h, k or if, if used, or equivalent pressure reducingmeans into the torpedo launching cylinder 0 with practically no shockbut with a comparatively low and steady pressure, where, acting on thepiston m, the piston and its rod n are forced outward and the torpedo plaunched from the boat to which the launching apparatus is fitted.

By means of the invention the use of air compressors and large airreceivers is obviated; also, as a consequence thereof, apparatusaccording to the invention is of coinparatively small weight so that asmall motor boat, say thirty to fifty feet long, can adapted to carryand launch a torpedo of ordinary size.

lVhat I claim is 1. Means for launching torpedoes by gases producedunder pressure by the combustion of a propellant in a separate chargecontainer and admitted at a lower pressure to the breech end of atorpedo launching cylinder, comprising, in combination, a chargecontainer of comparatively small internal volume, a gas receiver oflarger internal volume than the charge container and in communicationtherewith through a gas outlet that is made of comparatively small crosssectional area such that a charge of cordite or like explosive can beburnt in the container at a high pressure and in a uniform and completemanner, to produce, under high pressure, gases that pass into thereceiver, a torpedo launching cylinder into which the gases flow fromthe gas receiver at a reduced pressure, and a piston arranged to work insaid cylinder and having a rod or extension the outer end of which,beyond the outer end of the cylinder, is adapted to fit against the noseor stern of a torpedo, and means adapted to cushion the piston when thesame is near the outer end of its movement.

2. Torpedo launching means according to the preceding claim wherein thecharge container comprises a chamber that is arranged to project intothe gas receiver and is formed along its length with a number of smalleXit apertures the collective cross sectional area of which is small, asset forth, the apertures commencing near to the forward end of suchcontainer, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

3. Torpedo launching means according to claim 1, wherein the rod orextension of the piston works in a fluid tight manner through the outerend of the torpedo launching cylinder and the cylinder is providedtoward its outer end with lateral holes through which the impellinggases can escape when the piston moves beyond them, the portion of thecylinder between its outer end and the lateral holes serving as an aircushioning cylinder for the piston.

4. Torpedo launching means according to claim 1, wherein the corditecontainer, having a contracted gas outlet as set forth, is carried by agas receiver that is in communication with the breech end of the torpedolaunching cylinder through a passage of restricted cross sectional area.

5. Torpedo launching means according to claim 1, wherein the corditecontainer, having a contracted gas outlet as set forth, is

carried by a gas receiver connected to the breech end of the torpedolaunching cylinder by a piping of restricted cross sectional area. i a 46. Torpedo launching means according to claim 1, wherein the gasreceiver is made in two parts connected together by piping, one of suchparts carrying the charge container tional area.

and the other being connected to the breech througha passage ofrestricted cross sec- Signed at London, England this thirteenth day ofNovember 1918.

TOM THORNYCROFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

